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"What about the thief on the cross?"

The objection. "The thief had no works, no baptism, no church, no perseverance. He was saved in his last hour. Jesus said, 'Today you will be with me in paradise.' So salvation cannot depend on continuing in Christ. Grace is free."

This is one of the most moving passages in the Gospels, and the objection is partly right. The thief is a real example of free grace. But he is not a proof that the Christian life is optional.

The text

"One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.' And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:39-43, ESV)

What the thief shows

The thief shows several things:

  1. Salvation is by grace, not works. He had no good works to offer. He was a criminal, justly condemned.
  2. Faith can be exercised at the point of death. The promise is not limited to those who have a long life to serve.
  3. Jesus' word is enough. The thief did not have a theology of perseverance; he had a request and a promise.
  4. The promise is immediate. "Today you will be with me in paradise." Not a probation, not a reward after years of discipleship.

The casebook rejoices in this. If you are dying and you turn to Christ, the promise is for you. The thief is proof that the door is open until the last hour.

What the thief does not show

The thief does not show that:

  1. A person can live in unbelief and be saved. The thief did not live a long life of unbelief after meeting Christ. He died in faith.
  2. Perseverance is unnecessary for everyone. The thief had no time to persevere. His faith was complete in a moment. The ordinary Christian life has a different shape.
  3. Baptism, church, and obedience are optional for those who have time. The thief had no opportunity. The New Testament's normal pattern is faith, repentance, baptism, community, and a life of obedience.
  4. A deathbed conversion is a license for a careless life. The thief was not using grace as a license; he was dying. The person who plans to repent at the end is not exercising the thief's faith; he is presuming on God's patience.

The thief's faith is real

The thief's words are remarkable:

  • He fears God. "Do you not fear God?" (v.40).
  • He confesses his guilt. "We are receiving the due reward of our deeds" (v.41).
  • He recognizes Jesus' innocence. "This man has done nothing wrong" (v.41).
  • He recognizes Jesus' kingdom. "Remember me when you come into your kingdom" (v.42).

This is not a vague hope. It is faith in a crucified king. The thief sees a kingdom where the world sees a failed rebel. That is the work of grace.

The pastoral use

The thief is a gift to the dying, to the guilty, and to those who think it is too late. If you are at the end of your life, the promise is for you. If you have wasted your life, the promise is for you. If you have no works to offer, the promise is for you.

The thief is not a gift to the person who says, "I'll repent later." The same Bible that promises paradise to the dying thief says, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring" (Prov 27:1). The thief did not know he would die that day. You do not know either.

The abiding reading

The thief teaches:

  1. Grace is free. No one earns salvation.
  2. Faith is the instrument. The thief trusted Christ.
  3. The promise is sure. Jesus' word is enough.
  4. The door is open until the end. No one is beyond mercy.
  5. The normal life is different. Those who have time are called to live it.

The casebook does not use the thief to make the Christian life optional. It uses him to make the gospel available. The same grace that saved the thief in an hour keeps the believer for a lifetime.

What this does and does not prove

It proves: that salvation is by grace through faith; that deathbed conversions are real; and that no one is beyond the reach of Christ.

It does not prove: that a person can live in unbelief and be saved; that perseverance is unnecessary for those who have time; or that the sacraments and the church are optional when they are available. It proves that the gospel is for the dying, and that the dying can be saved.

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